by Ana Jolene
Maison was already in the car with Owen. He didn’t know what silent torture she was putting herself through but she clearly didn’t want to be in the same room as Hutch. Did that mean things were over between them? Hunter nodded, wondering who exactly this woman was to his brother. Though he’d been here before, this was the first time he’d actually seen her.
The woman stuck her hand out. “I’m Sam, by the way.”
Sam? Wait a minute. Hutch had mentioned Sam numerous times before, but—“I thought you were a guy,” he blurted.
Instead of being insulted like any other woman would be, Sam smiled. “That would make my life so much easier.”
Huh? What the hell did that mean? Before he could ask though, Hutch reappeared. “Okay, let’s go.”
“Your shirt is on inside out,” Sam drawled. Amusement laced her tone.
Hutch looked down at himself. “Dammit. I’ll fix it later. We have to get to the hospital.”
Hunter nodded. “Let’s go.”
Once outside, he slid quickly into his car while Hutch rode with Sam in her car. So was Sam the reason why Hutch wanted to join the Army? Guess that explained how they were so close.
After putting his seatbelt on, he glanced back at Maison. “Are you all right?” This was probably really hard for her right now.
She smiled softly at him but he noticed that her gaze kept returning to the other car. He had no idea what caused the separation between her and Hutch but all he knew was, he wasn’t touching that one with a stick.
TWENTY-SEVEN
Maison was a ball of emotion as they drove to the hospital. Her worry for Matthew festered inside of her until she felt like she was going to burst.
Catching that glimpse of Hutch shirtless had not only brought her memories to the surface but also her anxiety as well. And now her heart was feeling more vulnerable than ever before.
He looked surprised to see her but he didn’t look particularly mad either. Naturally, he looked far more upset about the news of his father than about her. She wanted to know what had happened to Matthew, and until then, she was going to have to shelve her emotions to deal with at another time.
When they all arrived at the hospital, they’d all jumped on the staff, riddling them with questions about Matthew. Maison would’ve felt bad for them if she weren’t so scared.
As they were led to Matthew’s room, her legs started to shake and she let out a sob. They said that he was unconscious but what else had happened to him? “Oh, Matthew . . .”
Lying on stark white sheets, Matthew blended into the bedding. There were tubes everywhere and the sounds coming from the machines increased her anxiety.
And then she remembered something. Or rather, someone. What had Hunter said to Owen about Matthew’s accident?
When she spun around, it was clear that he hadn’t had the chance to explain anything because Owen’s little eyes were wide with horror and confusion as he stared at his grandfather. “Daddy? What happened to Grandpa?”
Maison tried to hold back her tears but it was hard not to show her emotion. As Hunter bent down and started explaining things to Owen, she went to sit beside Matthew.
She recalled her last conversation with Matthew when he’d asked her about coming into work. She felt terrible to have left him alone all week without so much of an explanation as to why. She’d acted so irresponsible and so unlike her that she wished she could take it all back. But she couldn’t.
It was too late.
Now looking at Matthew, with his eyes closed and his face pale, he didn’t look like the virile man she knew. She mourned the loss of his spirit and wished she could turn back time to avoid all this.
When she’d first started working at Gleam, she’d been afraid of Matthew. But as the days passed, she learned to grow comfortable around him. His temper and his demands became something that motivated her, and whenever she was feeling nervous or shy, Matthew had never allowed her to remain that way for long. His straight-to-the-point attitude left no room for such empty emotions, and in being around him, she’d become more resilient. If she was being honest with herself, Maison felt like the reason why she was able to overcome her childhood upbringing was because of Matthew.
And now look at him! He was lying there and she could do nothing to help him!
Everything she’d kept in for the past week came out in a rush. Although she hated crying in front of people, she found that she couldn’t stop once she started. Maison cried for her parents. She cried for Hutch. And now, she was crying for Matthew.
Hands came around her to comfort her, but she couldn’t stop crying. She knew it wasn’t Hutch by his scent. Hutch smelled like eucalyptus and spearmint but the man holding her smelled like expensive forest.
Hunter.
Thankful for the support, she allowed herself to rest her head against him. He was warm, and he was strong, and she could use all the strength she could get to make it through the rest of this day.
She could feel Hutch’s gaze on her but he didn’t move to comfort her. Maison wasn’t sure what she’d do if he did. But she had noticed Sam rising up from her chair and holding her hand out to Owen. Gently, she said, “Come on, let’s go wait outside.”
Maison had never been so grateful for the woman until the door shut behind them. “Shh,” Hunter soothed. “It’s going to be okay. He’s going to be fine.”
“How can you know that though?” Just from looking at Matthew, she could tell that the accident had been serious. What if the injuries he’d sustained were permanent?
She forced herself to stop crying and wiped at her face. Hunter handed her a tissue and she accepted it graciously, dabbing at her nose before grabbing another to wipe her eyes. Hunter was right. Matthew was strong. She had to believe that he would pull through. She just hated seeing him this way. “I’m sorry,” she announced. “I’m just really worried about him.”
Hunter nodded in understanding. “We all are.”
She felt terrible for breaking down like that. Instead of being concerned about their father, Hunter was fussing over her. Feeling embarrassed, she pulled back and went over to sit in a chair in the opposite corner of the room.
As Hutch and Hunter spoke together in hushed tones over their father, Maison wondered where Dacey was. She had no doubt that she’d be here soon. Should she leave? Obviously she was making this worse with her presence here. Technically speaking, she wasn’t even family.
She really should give them space like Sam had, but Maison found that she didn’t want to leave. The Happa-Hewitts had become as much of her family as her own parents were, except they didn’t criticize her every move.
The thought of her parents once again made her glance back at Hutch. It hurt to see him again, but it pained her even more to know that he was hurting. She wished that she could go to him and talk to him. To hold him and comfort him but she couldn’t. She had hurt him too.
And although it would just about kill her to keep her distance and give him space, she would have to. After all, she’d been the one to push him away in the first place.
“What have you got there, buddy?” Sam leaned over the kid’s shoulder, trying to get a better glimpse of the action figure in his chubby little hands. “Is that Batman?”
“No, his name is Hunter.”
Hunter? What kind of hero complex did this kid have if he thought his own father was a superhero? “Actually, I think his name is Bruce Wayne.”
Owen shook his head. “No. His name is Hunter.”
“Okay fine. Hunter it is.” She knew better than to argue with a five-year-old. And actually, the kid wasn’t that far off the mark. The movie icon did kind of resemble his father in a way. They both had dark hair and a big build, but Hunter had his sexy Asian features that Batman didn’t have.
Wait a minute. Sexy? Since when had she started seeing Hunter as sexy? Well, he had made her take notice of him when he’d shown up at her door unexpectedly . . .
Whatever. She couldn’t worry
about that right now.
When Sam checked the watch on her wrist, she realized that she and Owen had been out here for more than an hour. Things inside the hospital room had gotten heavy too quickly, and while she knew that Maison had done her best to keep her emotions inside, Sam thought it was best to give them some room. That was how she had ended up in the waiting area outside with Owen.
Dacey had arrived earlier in a rush, and when she had trouble finding her father’s room, Sam had helped direct her to it. A part of her wanted to go inside and check on Hutch but she really didn’t want to leave the kid out here alone.
When she said she’d tag along, it’d been for Hutch. She wanted to be there for the guy, just like he’d been there for her. But Sam had to admit, she was feeling a little awkward sitting here with nothing to do.
Although she knew Maison wasn’t technically family, she had a right to be there. She was closer to Matthew than probably anyone else in that room right now.
But Sam . . . well, Sam was the reason for some of the animosity between their family. She’d been the one who’d suggested Hutch join the Army with her. She knew they blamed her for planting the idea in his head. Did they blame her for the loss of his leg too?
Sam was pulled out from her thoughts when Owen suddenly got up. Sam stood too, blocking the kid’s way. “Whoa, where do you think you’re going?”
“I’m hungry.”
Shit. She should’ve thought about that. “Okay then,” she said, sticking her hand out. “Let’s go grab something to eat.” She remembered seeing something around here somewhere.
When they finally found something, Sam let the kid browse all the food available. It was probably a bad idea she realized later on, but instead of picking out something sugary and sweet like she expected, Owen asked for a bagel.
“Okay. What kind of bagel do you want?” By the kid’s expression, he had no idea what kind of bagel he usually had. “Hmm, why don’t I pick for us then?”
When Owen nodded, she grinned. Sam scanned the options again.
“I want that,” Owen said, pointing to a carton of apple juice.
Apple juice. What a healthy kid.
Sam straightened and spoke to the cashier. “Two everything bagels with cream cheese and two apple juices, please.”
After paying, Sam and Owen walked to one of the tables. Sam unwrapped Owen’s bagel for him before jabbing his straw into his juice box. As soon as she gave the bagel to him, Owen dug into it like he’d never seen food. “Still hungry?” she asked when he’d finished. “You still have one half left.”
Owen shook his head.
“Okay. Let’s save it for later, okay?”
Owen nodded, picking his Batman toy up again.
“Hey, there you are,” a voice called out. “I’ve been looking all over for you.” Sam swirled around to find Hunter standing behind her. Before she could say anything, he settled down beside his son, rubbing the top of his head. “Looks like you’re all fed and happy,” he said. Then he turned his dark eyes on her. “Thank you for taking care of him.” He reached back to pull his wallet out. “Let me pay you back.”
Sam reared back. “Oh no, don’t worry about it. It’s on me.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah, it’s just a little snack.”
“Oh, well. Thank you.” Hunter put his wallet back into his pocket. “And thank you also for what you did in there. Maison was a little embarrassed after but she shouldn’t be. We’re all going through the same thing.”
Sam nodded. “I understand.” As awkward silence stretched between them, she couldn’t help but notice how smooth the guy’s voice was. It was so liquid; it seemed to flow over her.
God, what the hell was wrong with her? Since when did she get all dreamy-eyed over a guy’s voice?
She should really go before she made a fool out of herself. Standing up, Sam grabbed her trash from the table. “Owen still has half his bagel left,” she told him. “I was going to keep it for him for later but maybe you want it. You must be starving.”
Hunter nodded. “I am. Thank you.”
“Anyway, I think I’ll go now. Can you tell Hutch to call me when he gets the chance?”
“Wait. You’re leaving?”
“Yes. I have a client to meet,” she lied. Sam tossed her garbage in the nearest trash bin and said her goodbyes to Owen.
Just as she was about to walk away, Hunter called out for her. “Sorry,” he said. “I don’t want you to take this the wrong way but I gotta ask, what is it that you’re doing with my brother?”
The question took Sam by total surprise. But should it really? Considering how much time she and Hutch spent together, most people would assume things about them.
“We’re not sleeping together if that’s what you’re thinking.”
“You’re not?”
“Nope. Never have. Never will.”
Hunter looked adorably confused. “So if you’re not then what exactly—”
“We’re just friends.”
Hunter’s laugh was deep and rough. “Okay. Sorry. It’s just that I noticed that he and Maison—”
“Hutch loves her, okay? I think he has loved her for a while now, but whatever she went through recently has torn them apart. I don’t know her side of the story, but I do know that Hutch is heartbroken over it. I’m just hoping that there’s a happily ever after somewhere there for the two of them.”
Hunter nodded. “Yeah, they’re perfect for one another,” he agreed. “And I’m sorry about thinking there was more between you and him.”
For the first time since he showed up at her door, Sam smiled. “Don’t worry about it. I’m used to it. Bye,” she said for the final time.
“Bye, Sam. Take care of yourself.”
Don’t worry, she thought. She always did.
TWENTY-EIGHT
Hutch oscillated between wanting to punch something and wanting to drop into the fetal position and cry. He’d been through a hell of a lot during his time in the Army, but nothing got his heart racing and his gut churning like seeing his father lying in a hospital bed, his eyes closed with various tubes sticking out of him.
The doctor had come in and explained everything to him and his siblings, but Hutch still couldn’t wrap his head around it. Apparently, Matthew had been on his way home when he discovered a problem with his brakes. Despite taking precautions, Matthew had swerved on the slippery road and hit a tree. The entire car had crumpled upon impact, but luckily there had been people nearby who had seen it all happen and had called for emergency help right away. Hutch didn’t even want to think about how much worse it would be if his father been alone with no one to assist him.
Despite the fact that the doctor had said not to worry, Hutch couldn’t help himself. While he and his father hadn’t been very close, in the recent months, they’d been getting along a lot better. Sure, Matthew still grated on him and still occasionally treated him like he was still a mischievous fifteen-year-old, he’d also started treating him like a normal colleague after he started working with them. Even more, Hutch found himself turning to his father when he’d been concerned about Maison.
God, seeing her again was like getting shot in the chest with an M4. He couldn’t hide his surprise when she and Hunter had appeared outside of Sam’s house. At first, he thought they were there for him, but when he got the news about Matthew, he understood. Maison would only come see him if it concerned his father.
All hope of rekindling what they had disappeared. At first, he thought that they may still have a chance, but one look into Maison’s blue gaze and he could see no love for him in her heart anymore. Had she really gotten over him that quickly?
It wouldn’t be the same for him. No. Hutch was pretty sure that he would never feel this way about another woman again.
And that was why it was important for him to keep his distance. Hutch wasn’t sure he could trust himself if he got too close to her again.
Maison was sitting in the
hospital’s waiting room, anticipating Hunter’s return. He’d gone to check on Owen after speaking to the doctor. God, it’d been so horrible! She hated hearing how Matthew had gotten hurt. Hutch and Dacey were still inside with him but she found that she couldn’t stay. The silence was becoming unbearable and she was finding it more and more difficult to be in Hutch’s presence.
She hated that she couldn’t talk to him. But what would she say to Hutch anyway? Should she keep the conversation strictly about his father? Or should she also apologize for her actions too? She felt terrible but she also wasn’t sure it was the right time to express that.
God, everything was just so fucked up! Her parents were right. Mixing business with pleasure only complicated things and now Maison worried how things would be between them. There was just no way that Hutch could forgive her for pushing him away.
Hunter arrived then with Owen in tow. He moved to Matthew’s hospital room first, opening the door and pushing the kid inside first before returning to her side. Maison looked up at him in confusion. “What’s going on? Is everything okay?”
Hunter sat down in the chair beside her. “I should be asking you that question. Why aren’t you inside with the rest of them?”
“I just needed some air.”
Warm brown eyes scanned her. “You okay?”
“I’m not sure,” she admitted.
“Do you want to talk about it?”
Maison lifted her head, feigning innocence. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, what’s going on between you and Hutch?”
“Nothing is going on between us.”
Hunter sighed. “Okay, let me rephrase that. What was going on between you and Hutch?”
Now it was her turn to sigh. Dammit. She had no idea how to proceed. She was the one who had fucked up, of course, but admitting that only made her feel worse. And she really didn’t feel comfortable talking about this with Hunter.
Hunter sighed. “Fine. Let me tell you what I know and then you can fill in the blanks. You guys started working together at Gleam Enterprises and somehow you two got involved.” He paused, eyeing her carefully. “How am I doing so far?” Maison nodded to his question but she kept her mouth shut. “You two started to get serious and then—”
